If the legends were true, did that mean that Sensei Li could wipe out both the Hyuga and Uchiha clans all by himself?
"Killed over a thousand ninjas in a single battle? Has the rumor gotten that ridiculous?"
Li Anshi tilted his head slightly.
Perhaps, when he had just returned from the Cloud, they had exaggerated the casualties he had inflicted by double to make themselves look better.
However, after the truth had come out, the rumor had died down.
"Huh? It's not true?"
"No."
He nodded and said to the three of them seriously, "I'm sure it's not."
"Since I've mastered Little Li's Flying Dagger, I've only engaged in three large-scale slaughters."
"The first time, I killed nearly a hundred Cloud ninjas. That was the smallest number."
"The second time, also against the Cloud, I killed about eight hundred of their ninjas."
"The third time was when I went to the Land of Whirlpools to bring back the Uzumaki clan. I didn't kill many that time, only about six hundred."
"The rumor you heard must be wrong."
"If it said that the number of ninjas I've killed exceeds a thousand, I'll admit to that."
"But to say that I killed over a thousand ninjas in a single battle, that's an absolute slander!"
The three of them exchanged helpless glances.
Is the point of this that the rumor is a slander?
Besides, even if he didn't kill over a thousand in a single battle, it's not far off, is it?
Eight hundred was only about a hundred short of a thousand.
For other ninjas, even a Kage-level powerhouse, it would take a considerable amount of time to kill a hundred.
If the opponent was skilled and well-coordinated, it was not impossible for the Kage to be killed instead.
But for him, a hundred or so people was just a matter of thirty-odd daggers, and four seconds of his time.
"Alright, all things considered, we've had our initial introductions."
"So, what are your plans for today?"
"Sensei, aren't you the one who's supposed to be arranging things?"
Hearing his question, Nawaki couldn't help but retort.
At the same time, a thought arose in his mind.
Although there's no doubt about his strength, why do I get the feeling that he's a bit unreliable?
"Yes, under normal circumstances, it is indeed up to the teacher to make the arrangements."
"Not all Academy students get the approval of their squad leader."
"After taking you away, the squad leader will conduct an assessment. If you don't meet their requirements, they can send you back to the Academy to study again."
"Huh? Really?"
The three of them were shocked.
It was important to remember that they were not ordinary people.
Nawaki was the face of the Senju clan, Mikoto was an Uchiha, and Rin was from the main family of the Hyuga.
If the three of them were deemed unqualified by their supervising teacher and sent back to the Academy, one could imagine the attitude of their clan elders.
"Sensei, you're not trying to trick me, are you?"
A flash of terror appeared in Nawaki's eyes.
"I've never seen anyone sent back to the Academy before."
He had just boasted to his sister that he would compete with her for the position of Hokage.
If he were sent back by Sensei Li now, she would probably laugh herself to death.
And then, after she was done laughing, she would probably "personally instruct" him because of his lack of strength...
"Hahaha, you think the students who are sent back by their supervising teachers still have the face to stay in school?"
"Some of them give up on becoming ninjas, some start to take on missions alone, and some are lucky enough to form a team with other students who have been sent back, which is much safer."
Nawaki was speechless.
Yes, if I were really sent back, I probably wouldn't have the face to stay in school and study with the juniors for another year.
Most likely, I would choose to become a solo ninja!
Seemingly seeing his worry, Li Anshi smiled faintly.
"However—"
"You are a student that Lady Tsunade personally asked me to teach. And Mikoto and Rin, your families have also paid a certain price for you to train under me for a period of time."
"So, the three of you will not be sent back by me for being unqualified."
"Phew..."
Hearing him say this, the three of them all let out a sigh of relief.
It was no joke. If they were really sent back, they would be socially dead.
"So, at a time when all the other supervising teachers are thinking of ways to assess their subordinates, I can only bring you three here to chat."
"After we've passed the time, today will be over."
"Huh? It's over?"
"Yes, today was just for everyone to get to know each other."
He put away his dagger and spread his hands, "Whether I'm taking you on a mission or training you, that's all for tomorrow."
"It's just that I don't know how long the other teachers' assessments will last."
"So, I brought you directly here."
"From here, we can see the other teachers assessing their subordinates."
"When one of them has finished, we'll dismiss."
"Sensei Li, all of a sudden, I feel like you're really unreliable..."
"Mm-hmm."
"Tsk, you kids. Why do you have to speak the truth?"
"Huh?"
The three of them looked at him in shock.
What a joke!
Although they had said he was unreliable, it was just a joke.
And he had actually admitted it?
Could it be that he really is unreliable?
Could it be that even his title is fake?
Fortunately, this mindset was corrected after they had returned home and received instructions from their elders.
In their minds, even if their own judgment could be wrong, their elders could not possibly be.
…
The next day, after finishing the carvings needed for the shop for the day, Li Anshi leisurely made his way to the forest behind Konoha.
Although he had arranged to meet them at ten o'clock, he was not a certain ninja who was often lost on the road of life.
In his opinion, being punctual was a sign of respect for others, and for oneself.
In any case, he disliked people who did not keep their promises.
When he arrived at the meeting place, there was still half an hour until ten o'clock.
He had thought he would have to wait for his three subordinates, and that he could use the time to consider whether he should increase their training intensity.
However, to his surprise, the three of them had already arrived.
And from the looks of it, they had been there for quite some time.
"Yo, everyone's early."
"Sensei Li!"
"Sensei Li."
Seeing him, the three of them hurriedly bowed and greeted him.
Last night, they had all been given a heads-up by their respective elders, telling them they had to listen to him.
Otherwise, even if he didn't punish them, their elders would do it for him.
This made them not dare to act up in front of him.
Even Nawaki was the same.
When his sister beat him up, she really would beat him to within an inch of his life.
In any case, with her medical ninjutsu, as long as he had a single breath left, she could save him.
Many times, he had felt like he was hearing the voices of his grandfather and great-granduncle, only to wake up again.
This also made him respect his sister very much, but at the same time, he was also truly afraid of her.
"Tsk, seeing you three so well-behaved, I don't feel right about just slacking off with you."
After the three of them had stood up, he shook his head and said with a smile, "Mikoto and Rin, the two of you will definitely not be active ninjas in the future."
"And even for you, Nawaki, your sister's expectations for you are not low."
"Before you have the confidence to survive an encounter with a Jonin, she will not let you leave the village on a mission alone."
"So, before, I had just thought of you all as a group of children to be coaxed, and was prepared to play a ninja game with you for two years."
"But your attitude today has given me some expectations for you."
"Now, tell me your answer."
"Do you want to play this two-year ninja game with a 'you're good, I'm good, everyone's good' attitude, or do you truly want to become my subordinates?"
"I'll tell you beforehand, if you become my subordinates and your training doesn't meet my expectations, I will really send you back to the Academy to study again."
"I imagine that with my current status, even if I send all three of you to the Academy two years from now, your elders won't dare to say anything to me."
"This—"
Mikoto hesitated for a moment, then looked at Rin and Nawaki.
She had already accepted her future.
If nothing unexpected happened, in two years, she would marry Fugaku, and when he became the head of the Uchiha clan, she would bear him children and support him.
If it were just her, she would definitely choose to use these two years to get on good terms with Sensei Li, or at least not let him have any bad impressions of the Uchiha clan.
However, she was now a ninja in a team with Rin and Nawaki.
So, she couldn't selfishly decide the future of all three of them.
What's more, she also knew that Rin, this seemingly gentle and weak girl who was a year younger than her, seemed to have some fantasies of her own.
And the other one, the one for whom Sensei Li was actually the supervising teacher, Nawaki—there was no need to even mention him.
He would not be willing to spend two years playing a ninja game.
Sure enough, it was as she had expected.
After hearing Sensei Li's words, Nawaki was the first to turn around and bow to her and Rin.
"Mikoto, Rin."
"I know this is a very presumptuous request."
"However, I would still like to ask the two of you to give me a chance."
"Don't worry, as long as you are willing to accept Sensei Li's training with me, then before I fall, I will absolutely not let you two be harmed in the slightest!"
"There's no need for that, Nawaki."
"I also want to learn some things from Sensei Li myself."
"Even if I can't be an active ninja in the future, the strength I've cultivated will always be my greatest source of confidence!"
Rin said to him seriously.
Although they had only been classmates for two years, in her opinion, Nawaki, with his noble goals, was much more dazzling than the stagnant Hiashi and Hizashi.
"Now that you've both said that, how could I let you leave me behind?"
Mikoto sighed. She knew that the next two years would probably be even harder than her time at the Academy.
However, whether as a friend or a comrade, she could not abandon them.
Therefore, in the end, she also agreed.
"Very good. It seems the three of you have reached a consensus."
"Then, now tell me your answer!"
Although he had already heard their conversation, he still asked them with a serious expression.
"Yes, we've decided, Sensei Li."
"Please take us as your subordinates!"
Mikoto and Rin stood behind Nawaki, with him as their leader, and bowed to him.
"Very good."
"I have seen your attitude."
"Congratulations."
"The three of you, from this moment on, you will be my subordinates for the next two years."
"Then, now, let me see what you're capable of!"
He took them to the Hokage's office and accepted a mission to clean up a river.
Leading them to the riverside, he said, "Nawaki, Mikoto, Rin."
"This is your first mission."
"I will decide how to teach you in the future based on your performance."
"So, show me everything you can do right now!"
"Yes, Sensei Li!"
Hearing his command, the three of them immediately spread out and began to clean the river.
Seeing that all three of them could walk on water, he nodded slightly.
As expected of those born in ninja clans. Ordinary commoner students probably don't even know that chakra can allow them to stick to trees and walls.
Their understanding of chakra was probably still limited to enhancing their physical abilities and consuming it to release ninjutsu.
Anything more than that was not something these commoner children could come into contact with.
From this point of view, the knowledge barrier between ninjas in Konoha had not changed at all in the next few decades.
I wonder if the changes in Sakumo and Tsunade will bring more changes to Konoha?
He was looking forward to it.